My kid hates Linux (ZDNet)

> [W]hat about innovation? Why does some new app
> have to become available in Windows or OS X first,
> before making an appearance in Linux? For example,
> Photobooth in OS X. Only after we got Photobooth
> in OS X, did we get something similar in Linux:
> Cheese (although with a lot less polish).

What about Amarok and K3B, to name a couple well regarded Linux/FLOSS 
apps?  I don't believe there's anything like K3B on either OSX/natvie or 
or MS/native platforms, nor do I really expect it from an OS made not 
primarily for its users, but to pad the pockets of its masters and other 
powers that be (the media conglomerates, etc), and while iTunes could 
conceivably be compared to Amarok in some ways, there's major differences, 
including the array of online streaming music sites and wide degree of 
choice of supported music players, again something iTunes isn't likely to 
support, because it simply doesn't pad the pockets of its master properly.

The point isn't that Linux/FLOSS, or other OS for that matter, has the 
advantage here (tho arguably MS does in pure numbers terms simply by sheer 
market share), but that each has its innovatively strong products without 
reasonable compare on the other OSs.  As such, that point is essentially 
null and void, and if you aren't seeing the innovation, it's simply 
because you haven't looked very far.

FWIW, I personally choose freedom.  I didn't dump a decade on MS and take 
on the hassle of learning an entirely new way of doing things, just to go 
and let some proprietaryware master be /my/ master once again.  If I were 
willing to do that, why the hassle in the first place?  Much like a 
defector who forsook his old life for freedom, I know I can and will never 
go back -- unless per chance there's a revolution and the old land becomes 
as free as the new world of freedom I live and work and play in today.  
However, again much like that defector, I must respect the decision of 
friends and relatives I left behind, who have different priorities and 
values, who haven't come to that point yet, and may indeed /never/ reach 
that point.  If and when they do, I'm more than willing to help them 
adjust to their new home just as others helped me, but until that point, 
while I respect them and know they will and must make their own choices in 
their own time, there remains a chasm between us that can never really be 
bridged.

(I couldn't run most proprietaryware even if I wanted to, since elements 
of the EULA might be binding here, and (1) I no longer sign away my rights 
to reverse engineer or use as I see fit, on principle, regardless of my 
ability to code or not, and (2), the only time I consent to release from 
liability is if I and/or an agent of my choice am/is/are free to examine 
the code for security and fitness for purpose, without yielding my rights 
in the process.  Since a developer, free or proprietary, would have to be 
pretty close to insane to distribute code without a liability disclaimer, 
and I'm not going to take responsibility or liability for code I can't 
examine without surrendering my rights, that pretty well precludes 
proprietary code.  Again, I'm not a coder myself, so this is a pure stand 
on the principle that I'm not going to surrender rights I consider 
inalienable, period.  If that means no proprietaryware, as it does, so be 
it.  But that's just me.  Again, you have your own priorities, values and 
conscience to live by, so live by it as you will, just don't mess with me 
doing the same and I won't mess with you.)

Duncan